cedar cladding

I’m not sure what type of timber was used on the Glucksman Gallery in UCC, but it might be what you’re looking for. However, one of the few reservations I’ve heard expressed about the cladding is that it has already started to blacken- apparently a result of O’Donnell & Tuomey’s decision to use untreated timber. (I’m open to correction on this.)
There’s also a house in Ranelagh, on Dunville Avenue (opposite Morton’s), that has timber cladding, but again I don’t know if it’s cedar and again it seems to be weathering poorly. If I’m out and about over the weekend I’ll try to remember to get a picture for you, unless someone else beats me to the punch in the meantime. Devin?:)

Is this cedar? looks like it’s been treated though

http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/northcity/ifsc/apartments_round.html

or this one

http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/southcity/templebar/cow_lane/tower.html

I am not too keen on buildings with cedar cladding.

The new Scott Tallon Walker Buildings at St Vincent’s Hospital have untreated cedar cladding. The Main Building is onlly about a year old but the Breast Check Building which is just at the Merrion Road entrance is a couple of years old and the Psychaitry Building which is at the back of the campus is about 3 years old so should give a good idea of the weathering.

Anyone seen yet the pile of shite erected on the Mater Hospital grounds on the North Circular Road. It’s red brick painted white with timber cladding in places. Looks cheap and awful!

[url=http://www.lovingarchitecture.com/index.php?294&tx_mjseventpro_pi1[showUid]=78]http://www.lovingarchitecture.com/index.php?294&tx_mjseventpro_pi1[showUid]=78[/url]

more cedar cladding, bit older though.

most timbers (including cedar which is very soft) are suitable for use untreated once they are kept out of standing water. All untreated timbers will go (a variety of) silver-grey in a matter of months-years depending on their exposure to direct sunlight and ability to dry.
De Blacam and meagher tend to use untreated Iroko.
The glucksman gallery is an untreated hardwood called Angelim da campina which is not intended to remain pristine. having visited it recently i think it looks great in its setting.
Cedar cladding is generally the easiest and cheapest type of timber cladding to use and has been over-used in its most banal way (like panels between rendered insulation) as an excuse for design in bog standard developers buildings. Which is why theres a bit of a backlash against it at the moment.

@GregF wrote:

Anyone seen yet the pile of shite erected on the Mater Hospital grounds on the North Circular Road. It’s red brick painted white with timber cladding in places. Looks cheap and awful!

saw it a while ago-just couldn’t figure out why the brick was painted.

Here’s some more timber. Dunno if it’s cedar though

http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/northcity/quays/north_wall/clarion_quay_apartments_lge.html

Is cedar grown in Ireland?
Is all the cedar we’re seeing of late imported or native?

imported i’d say.

Wooden cladding makes a building’s appearance age at an extraordinarily accelerated rate. A good example of this is one of the student village developments built in UL (Dunmore village, I think it is called but could be worng on that). It is only a couple of years old and looked quite well (as student villages go) when first built but now looks extremely ‘worn’ and haggard. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of it.

Red cedar (Sequoia) has a natural preservative, so any blackening is much more likely to be from airbourne pollution that fungus, or rot ! It is VERY popular in the American Northwest for roofing, and walls.

@what? wrote:

most timbers (including cedar which is very soft) are suitable for use untreated once they are kept out of standing water. All untreated timbers will go (a variety of) silver-grey in a matter of months-years depending on their exposure to direct sunlight and ability to dry.
.

I’d have to disagree with you there. Any timber can be used as a cladding, with the right treatment. Only a few can be used untreated. Most untreated timber wouldn’t last more than a few years and would have to be replaced. Cedar (and a few other timbers) contains natural oils which allow it to be used untreated. Most timbers do not share this characteristic.
This is how cedar looks when it is first put up. Is turns a grey silver colour when exposed. Cedar cladding is generally maintenance free.

And for the person who asked, alot of the Cedar used is American Red Cedar, imported. There ia a european species that is used also, but it isn’t grown extensively in this country. One thing to note about cedar is that when used internally , it gives off a wonderful smell. A room with cedar with have that smell for years.

Maggie, beware if you design a facade with Western Red Cedar use the quality Clear and Better. Also be carefull with shading. The parts in the shading will take on another color, and can look cheap.

Western Red Cedar is a Softwood mostly imported into Ireland from British Colombia. It is one of the most widely used timbers for Cladding as it has great stability, it is very durable and it is also inexpensive when compared to other tropical hardwoods such as Iroko and temperate hardwoods such as oak / chestnut. The grade most commonly used for cladding is Number 2 Clear & Better. This grade contains few if any knots, is heartwood only and any knots in the board are “live” and will not fall out. It can be used with or without treatment. The purpose of the treatment is only to help keep the natural colour of the wood and prevent weathering when the timber turns silver / grey. However the treratment (usually oil based) must contain a UV filter.
Some examples of Cedar around Dublin are as follows: UCD Virus Lab Extension (McCullagh Mulvin) this entire building is clad in Cedar. Thornwood Apartments Booterstown – just being built by PJ Hegarty on the Stillorgan Road, Adamstown Apartments in Newcastle/Lucan currently being built by Casterthorn Construction. Belarmine Estate in Stepaside is another job, there are plenty more but these are some good examples.

As I said it before, the best company to use for Cedar Cladding are Machined Timber Services Ltd. They supply all types of profiles and have a great brochure. They are in kilcoole, Co.Wicklow. Tel 012812106. They have supplied me numerous times with no problems.

Hello all,
I am in the planning stages of building a timber frame house. I am thinking of using cedar cladding on the outside instead of block. Does anyone have any opinions/ experiences to share about that. Does anyone know how well cedar weathers when it is treated? Any info would be great.:confused:

how are you thinking to do the construction of the outer leaf of the external wall, or are youy thinking about a thicker single leaf?

The houses in meadow grove in dundrum (built in the sixties) have Cedar cladding front exterior.
To me they have aged and now look dated – but do have a certain appeal

I attach a poor quality picture (from myhome.ie) – will try to get a better one.

@maggie wrote:

danish oil is a good one but will have to be re-treated every five years, it should then have a lifespan of 20-30 years. The batten system means it’s easy to replace the timber after that length of time.

The lifespan you quoted seams a little short compare with some i’ve heard and examples i’ve seen. Untreated cedar would last that long a good treatment and care it is possible to get longer, but I suppose time will tell

cedar is naturally durable and requires no treatment, the only reason for oiling or finishing the board with a sealant is to preserve its natural colour. To do this properly the product used must contain a UV filter and for a proper job the cladding should be sealed on the two faces and two edges, otherwise it the uv rays will bleach the natural tannins out of the timber. Cedar will last a lifetime and outlive any of us when used as an external cladding. Just look at the majority of housing in BC Canada for an example where their summers are hotter and winters are colder and wetter. Another good examples are Totum poles which are still standing throughout the states for many years and are made of Cedarwood which was sacred to the first natives.

any recommended oils or treatments for retaining the natural colours of the cedar? i’m looking for brand name recommendations that people have used and are happy with.

for western cedar boards used very nicely…channel 4’s website and go to the grand designs section. there is a house in scotland previewed a few weeks ago which i think did it quite nice.
i think that cedar adds a very nice touch to a building when sed properly. it looks bad when not used with sensitivity or as an infill material.